CELEBRATING EACH OTHER

The Celebrating Gary’s 70th Birthday page that Linda created turned out to be more profound for me than I imagined it could. In the process of reading, hearing, and watching the many forms of appreciation that I received, I discovered that I appreciated the people who sent them and for the same reasons they were appreciating me! The more I read of their courage, open hearts, commitment, and compassion, the more I found myself celebrating them. The deepest appreciation we have for one another is not for what we do, but that we are here together, like it or not, continually offering one another opportunities to grow spiritually. Each time we experience an attraction or repulsion, we are offered an opportunity to grow spiritually. Each time we encounter someone we love or someone we despise, we are offered an opportunity. At first it seems that spiritual growth happens only when we open our hearts to people who open theirs to us. Then we discover that we grow spiritually when we open our hearts to people who do not open their hearts to us. This is where the real celebration begins – the celebration of everyone and everything because of the opportunities they give us without fail to grow spiritually.